#most of them are my wrath of the righteous commanders...

[quenthel]

i while ago i did a little project for myself where i tried to replicate wayne reynolds' style a little bit and redesigned some of my pathfinder characters according to some style sensibilites he has... it wasnt very successful but i love thinking abt outfits/equipment as a character establishing detail so i had a lot of fun w these

[thoughtsafterdark]

The Sun's Lover

Sometimes I gaze at myself in the mirror and my mind bends and buckles against warring thoughts and I wonder if I was meant for more.

Sometimes I feel a breeze in the back of my mind

Sparks of errant electricity

A brief glimpse into something other, something hidden

Something on the tip of my tongue and the edge of my olfactory bulb

Colours I can smell, feelings I can hear, thoughts that have no shape or form. Older than my life, than language, than war. Certainties that tease and caress and seduce but leave me dry and gasping like incubi in my sleep.

That leave my tongue sloppy and lazy like tar black molasses squelching between teeth

Thoughts that taste of longer tongues and darker mouths and sharper teeth on a planet circling twin red dwarves, of methane marshes and hexagonal prism eyes that sparkle like blood red rubies

Words slurring together and thoughts hazy as they come back down to a body that feels paper thin and husky like maple seeds in the wind

I think of the wrath that dances just beneath my skin

The bile that churns and rushes to my face, eyes like daggers, lips fixed in a snarl at the slightest insult

I think of my pride, that squirming bag of worms that lights fires in my blood and how it wars with my desperate craving to belong

I watch them from the safety of my window like a xenoanthropologist. How they love and laugh and touch eachother. How they slide against one another like well oiled gears in a way I have never been able to. I think of the eldritch way in which I care, with a gaping maw and drooling lips, with twirling rings of eyes and 6 pairs of wings, with claws that burrow deeper and squeeze tighter the harder they try to leave me.

And I think to myself, girlhood is not so much different to godhood. A self-satisfres ied sadistic existence hiding a crushing singularity of loneliness, topped with pettiness and boredom.

I wish you would come to me in my waking hours and take me away from this place

Steal and hide me away in palaces of sand and moonstone

I can put up a good fight. I’ll run and scream and beg you to stop, make sure to drag out the thrill of the chase. Isn’t that what pretty nymphs are for?

I see my bitterness reflected in the ozone blue of your eyes, the hardness and cruelty shot through with marble strands of gold

Your skin is a thrumming pool of pure power, an atomic bomb bound in sinew and nucleic acids, ready to turn me to a pillar of salt

Your fingers coax the most bittersweet of melodies, leaping and thrumming from string to string like acrobats. They say the best musicians make the instruments sing, but I’ve seen you make lyres moan and weep

I remember the old stories, of girls turned to laurel trees, of wounded pride and donkeys ears. I remember the blood of the Myrmidon spilled outside the walks of Illium. I know you are a wrathful, self-righteous whore, with greedy fingers that leave bruises  in the dips of hips and a silver tongue to match. Your fathers essence is strong in you, stronger even than it is in him. Nuclear fusion and supernovae to his ion and electron arcs. What is a thunderbolt in the face of the sun’s core?

That is how I know you would understand, I know you would thumb at that gaping festering wound inside my heart and bring me corpses instead of flowers. A plague in just the right place, so they can die slowly, in agony. Nuclear wastelands instead of jewellery. And then afterwards you’d smile that chesire cat smile at me, all satisfaction and faux-inoccence, and we’d wear our best skins and most beautiful masks and dance amongst the stars next to the hunter ripped to ribbons by hounds at your sisters command compose ballads, and study the healing arts and crafts but not so well the grey eyed bitch curses me with eight legs and congratulate ourselves on our own brilliance. Spin lies out of ambrosia and nectar and pretend we are good and just, exactly what the mortals deserve

 Fuck me with your fingers with a fierceness you wouldn’t dare use on your precious lyres, piston into me the way the women in my grandmothers village gut fish (rhythmically, ruthlessly, with the sun beating down on leathery skin and the weight of 6 mouths to feed and the memory of your husbands knuckles shattering teeth), reach up into me and wring the neck of my womb like a newly ripe peach, yank it out of me until it lies pulsing and glittering and full of seed, uterine arteries spewing blood. I want to feel you burrowing upwards until I am impaled on your divinity, until you push upwards into my heart and lungs and your hands are peaking up out of my throat. Turn me inside out and wash me clean until my mortality burns away like a chrysalis and I am reborn in your image.

My ascension is a spectacle that leaves many breathless and many more blinded. “I am the goddess of lost potential” I whisper into the crook of your neck “of promises unkept and grudges nursed. Of doorways and bridges and the space between atoms. Of longing and regret and moments lost.” And then you’d smile that ridiculous smile of yours, like you’d seen me like this always, glowing and thrumming with possibility – and this confirmation is somewhat amusing.

“Pithanotita” you’ll declare against the shell of my neck and the rightness of it reverberates deep deep down, beyond the skeletons of cells that no longer exist and multi corded DNA strands, as if you have struck my very resonant frequency and my de Broglie wavelength sings with the joy of being seen. Not a name but a constant, a universal truth. Phoebus I’ll counter, and I won’t bother using a mouth, though the smirk will be implied. Possibility and Poetry need no lips to speak to one another, we are two sides of the same coin. You’ll laugh out loud then, delighted at my audacity. Only your mother calls you by her mothers name. And I can pretend just for a moment that we might last. The first of our kind to have eternity.  That we won’t end up tearing each other to pieces. The sun and his unlikely lover, regret.

[theobjectofyourire]

it's been a year and I cannot stop thinking about this frame:

The hall had fallen silent, an absence of sound so severe, so terribly sharp and equal only to the blade that mere moments ago rested uncertainly on the King's belt, yet to be crimsoned by the righteous wrath of an anguished mother.

"Where is duty? Where is sacrifice?" The aching plea in her voice seemed to grow with every word, her voice trembling not with fear but with a fervency, a fury she had never before allowed herself to possess.

"And now you take my son's eye," she near wept, "and to even that, you feel entitled." It was with a grief she spoke. A mourning for herself, the girl she once was and the woman she might have become had the gods forged a kinder world. A mourning for her children, who were but pawns in a greater game, as she had been, and so fearfully neglected by their father.

A mourning for her son.

Her gentle boy.

Her dearest Aemond, who had clutched her hand and worried at the blood staining the wrists of her dress even as his skin was being threaded back together. As he was told, in no uncertain terms, that his eye was forever lost, and instead of finding comfort in his sire as any boy ought to, he was met with cold commands, alone.

*******

When the princess had stepped back, a slow stream of scarlet flowing from her arm, and the blade frightfully abandoned on the stone, all eyes remained steadfast on the Queen, surrounded and yet entirely isolated. All awaited the word of Viserys, who stood in outraged shock behind her, but not a sound came. 'Twas silence that ruled the night, and mayhaps would have known a longer reign if not for the soft-spoken words of her son, still painted in his own blood.

"Do not mourn me mother." He stepped forward without a measure of hesitancy, and all the great lords and ladies could not hope to remove their gaze from the boy. His voice, despite all, was steadier than any who had come before. "It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon."

Most had looked on with some degree of astonishment, others with the slight flicker of fear, an apprehension of what was undoubtedly to follow in the years to come. Most surprising, mayhaps, was the high regard of an uncle and grandsire. Never had Daemon and Otto so shared, unbeknownst to each other, a look of such pride. Their reasons differed, to be sure, though both could not but admire the boy who had proved himself the true blood of the dragon.

'Twas only one person of note in that hall of many faces who dared not look upon the countenance of the young prince. 'Twas only one who kept his eyes planted firmly at his feet, his head bowed low as though he were not but a servant who feared he was undeserving of such a sight.

In his bones, he knew the fear to be well founded.

Viserys would not look at his son. He could not look at his son, who spoke with a courage and certainty that reminded him so dearly of his brother. He had taken, in no small measure, after his uncle, and it wounded him to see so much of the Rogue Prince, a darkened sort of valiancy in the remaining eye of his child.

It was his fault.

He knew. In his heart of hearts, he knew he had no one but himself to blame. What might the smallest show of care prevented, had he but taken the time to bestow it? How many years had he so desperately prayed for sons, only to treat them with a distanced interest, at best, when the Gods finally saw fit to answer?

At the very least, mightn't he have asked, nay, insisted upon a formal apology from his admittedly beloved grandson, on behalf of his own flesh and blood? For if the injuries had been reversed, had it been Lucerys half-blinded by Aemond...he could not fathom the thought. The truth was far too vile to admit, even unto himself.

"This proceeding is at an end." His voice was firm, unyielding, leaving no room for argument. As he turned, unsteadily limping back to his chambers, he did not spare a glance to his injured son. He could not bare the guilt. He could not shoulder the truth.

The words were those of a King. The actions? Those were of a father, failing, forever unworthy of the title.

*******

[jean-dieu]

Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous : Companion AU for my OCs!

Being the main character is neat, but what if my bois were companion? I've written an in-game introduction for them all, and I'll try to develop their potential quests a little. Keep in mind that only Raphaël and Zarathustra have/could have taken part in the crusade. Raphaël is my Knight Commander, and Zarathustra was born at the time. Lazare and Ziel are both born after the worldwound was sealed. It's just for fun teehee.

Raphaël : "Despite being a tiefling, Raphaël rose above his birth's circumstances and joined the rank of the Inquisition after a failed attempt at priesthood. A devoted Sarenite, he is a valuable asset to the crusade but his fiendish heritage as well as his authoritative and distant behaviour don't make him a popular soldier among others. But surely, there's something more behind this intimidating, cold facade?"

Ziel : "As if being a tiefling in Kenabres wasn't hard enough, Ziel also happens to be the son of an Abadarite Priest who was disgraced and cast aside after being found guilty of corruption. A thiefling and a calistrian, the young bard is actively seeking revenge in his father's name, the poor man drowning his sorrows with alcohol since he lost everything. Sarcastic and cynical, he doesn't hide his hatred for most Gods and religion… But he seems more eager to help the crusade than he lets out. He has apprentely helped Irabeth many times in the past, and she seems to trust him despite his dubious reputation and volatile behaviour."

Zarathustra: "Why would an acclaimed chelish alchemist risk his life in a far-away crusade? Especially since Zarathustra doesn't strike anyone as a benevolent man. The winged tiefling showed up one day, shroudded in smoke and mystery and most people don't seem to know anything about him, except for a few local mendevian, peasants and nobles alike, who seems to have a few things to say about his past…"

Lazare: "Lazare's smile and cheerful behaviour as well a his talent in singing and violin were sure to make the young tiefling popular among his peers regardless of his heritage. Despite his obvious naivety, he doesn't seem to back up when things get gruesome in battles, and he's ready to help anyone in need. But is his jolly, kind and exuberant behaviour only an act? He has been spotted by a fellow crusader talking in infernal to his instrument, a black violin he claims he inherited from his mother. While the object his obviously magical, its nature isn't exactly known at the moment, and Lazare doesn't seem to want to tell us more…"

[dragonologist-writings]

Title: A Toast to the Luckless Fandom: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Rating: G Status: One-Shot Main Characters: Knight-Commander Piper Chanterelle, Woljif Additional Notes: Friendship, Tiefling Solidarity, a bit of backstory Word Count: 2.1k Summary:

“People love a good story,” Piper smirks, and she raises an eyebrow at Woljif. “Don’t they, oh great prince? What faraway land are you from, again?" “Alright, fair enough. But don’t tell Seelah I made that up, she’ll want her ten gold back.” Woljif takes a moment to chew on his thoughts, his tail flicking back and forth in time with the questions on his mind. He doesn’t want to push his luck by digging too much, but he is curious. “So what’s the real story?” Piper and Woljif reflect on tall tales and strange twists of fate. Wine is drunk. Backstories are shared. Candlesticks are stolen.

read below or here on ao3

Woljif lets out a low whistle as he ambles down the halls of the mansion, taking in his surroundings in solitude while the party rages on in the distance. The place really does need to be seen to be believed- this isn’t even Daeran’s main mansion, and somehow it still sparkles with enough gold to make any jeweler drool. Woljif noses his way through the empty rooms, stopping every so often to slip a little something into his pockets. Judging by the layers of dust, nothing he takes will be missed. Besides, expecting him to keep his hands to himself in a place like this is like asking a paladin not to preach.

Eventually, he finds his way into the room in the furthest corner of the wing, where the cobwebs have full reign. Not much worth taking here, he figures, even as he makes a pass of the paintings hanging haphazardly off the walls. None of it really catches his attention- until he reaches the largest portrait, hung right across from the door.

Truth be told, it ain’t all that interesting. Not really. Just a picture: a woman, a man, a little kid. Daeran isn’t hard to recognize, not with those aasimar features. Seems he got those features from his mother, who stands alongside him and a man who must be his father. The whole painted family is decked out in finery; between the three of them, there’s probably enough jewels to sink a ship.

Woljif’s own jewel- the only one he’s ever owned, and he had to risk his tail stealing it- suddenly feels very small in its place around his neck.

The sound of a door creaking open stirs Woljif from his thoughts, and quick as a flash he takes a step back from the wall, holding his hands up in feigned innocence. “I didn’t touch nothing!”

“No?” A rose-colored tiefling glides into the room with a smirk and a glass of wine, her skirts and swishing tail leaving a trail in the dust behind her. She peers around the room with interest, a small smile playing on her lips. “What a waste.”

Woljif breathes a sigh of relief. No angry guards, no fussy nobles- just Piper.

Despite technically being a crusader- and not just that, but the commanding crusader- Piper’s a good sort. And it’s not just because she fished her brother-in-demon-blood from a jail cell right under the soldiers’ noses, neither. Unlike most of her fellow crusaders, Piper is actually good for a story and a laugh, and she’s never turned up her nose at any of Woljif’s 'less than legal' ideas. It’s a wonder she gets so many uptight, law-abiding forces to follow her around, given her own disregard for their high and mighty rules. But that’s Piper; she opens her mouth, and it seems she can convince anyone of anything.

And the unprecedented magical powers probably don’t hurt, either.

“Look at this place,” she sighs, shaking her head in dismay. “Empty for years, but every room still has its treasures. And nobody around to appreciate it! It would be a crime not to take anything, in my humble opinion.”

Woljif chuckles, emboldened by the lack of lecture he would have surely received if, say, Seelah had been the one to walk in on him. Or, gods forbid, Irabeth. “My thoughts exactly! And besides, it’s not as if Darean cares enough to miss any of it.”

Piper’s eyes glide over the room, finally fixing on the portrait Woljif found. “Ah. Speaking of Darean…” she moves closer, studying the young aasimar in the frame. “That’s him, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Guess he got his looks from his mom.” Woljif tries to keep his smile up, but he can hear the bitterness in his own voice as that image sticks in his head- the noble boy and his family, enclosed in their golden little haven. “What a world, huh? Some people get a celestial bloodline, tons of money, and a title, while others get horns and a slap in the face.”

Piper is quiet for a moment, and her usual easy smile slips from her face. Woljif almost feels bad for bringing down the mood, but then she takes a breath, shrugs, and says, “Fate plays favorites, and life isn’t fair. Those are the first lessons you learn in this world. So how about a toast to those born without any luck?”

She doesn’t wait for answer, just takes a long sip from her glass before handing it wordlessly to Woljif. He can’t say no to that, and in one motion downs the rest of the drink. After taking a moment to enjoy the taste of what is surely the most expensive booze he’s had in his entire life, Woljif glances at Piper and says, “You didn’t have it so bad, though, did ya, chief? At least not according to that story you spun the other day. How did that one go? World-traveling troubadour, trained by the best Pitaxian bards, who felt destiny calling her to deliver the world from demons?”

Piper laughs, though the sound lacks its usual warmth. “That’s not even the best part! You should hear the stories I used to spin for audiences- my mother was a fae, one who fell in love with a powerful magician! Their love was true, and they were gifted a daughter blessed with beauty and song, but alas- all romances between mortals and immortals tend to end tragically. But never fear, for I vowed to travel the lands and spread beauty and love in their memory!”

She recites the tale in dramatic cadence, moving her hands emphatically through the air in graceful gestures, but Woljif can only snort in response. “And people fell for that?”

“People love a good story,” Piper smirks, and she raises an eyebrow at Woljif. “Don’t they, oh great prince? What faraway land are you from, again?”

“Alright, fair enough. But don’t tell Seelah I made that up, she’ll want her ten gold back.” Woljif takes a moment to chew on his thoughts, his tail flicking back and forth in time with the questions on his mind. He doesn’t want to push his luck by digging too much, but he is curious. “So what’s the real story?”

His question is met with a frown, but Woljif has already asked, so he figures he might as well poke a little further. Normally he wouldn’t much care about anyone’s past, but for better or worse Piper is the whole reason he’s here. He’s gotta get a good read on her, right? So he grins, hoping to reassure her that he ain’t up to any trouble with the question. “Aw, come on. I spilled mine, remember? Fair’s fair, chief.”

Piper still doesn’t look very pleased with the topic, but she tilts her head in acknowledgement of his point. “Yes, fair’s fair. It’s just…the real version is so much more boring.” She pauses, her mouth twisting a bit as she begins speaking, her clipped tone a far cry from the eloquence she’d spoken with before.

“Once upon a time, a tiefling girl grew up in a city much less glamorous than any world of fae. She fended for herself, for the most part. Her parents were tieflings, too, you see, and neither of them needed another mouth to feed on top of everything else.”

Woljif nods- it’s a familiar enough beginning, one that’s shared by quite a few amongst the thieflings. He glances back at Daeran’s portrait, a strange feeling simmering in his chest. What’s worse, he wonders, a family that can’t stand you, a family that never gave a damn, or a family that actually cared and then went and died on ya?

Oblivious to his musings, Piper continues, her tone carefully disinterested. “So the girl begs and steals to scrape by until she’s finally old enough to talk her way into a job carrying bags for a theater troupe. She’s got a pretty face- for a tiefling, of course- and a voice to match, and she eventually makes her way to the stage. She learns a handful of bardic tricks that are useful on the road. Of course, it’s hard to stay in one place very long, so from there it’s a series of traveling bands and circuses, finding places willing to have a tiefling in the spotlight.”

“Can’t be too many.”

“Nope.” Piper’s tail turns behind her in a lazy circle as she continues. “Even the ones who seem to like her, don't like her for very long. And there are parts of the story that Irabeth certainly doesn’t need to know about, where the tiefling girl has to rely a bit more on scams than singing. But then one day…” Piper holds her hands up in a victorious gesture. “She finds a weird magical sword and suddenly she’s Knight Commander of the Fifth Crusade!”

In spite of himself, Woljif chuckles. “No offense, but your story got a little off the rails there towards the end.”

“No kidding!” Piper whirls around, her voice rising an octave as she gestures to her surroundings. “Look at where we are! A depressingly decadent party in an old mansion owned by one of the richest families in the kingdom. And the head of that family is working for me, and when I leave, I’ll be going back to an entire army that reports to me! I’ve been nothing but a criminal and a street performer all my life, and now fate throws this at me?”

She stops her spin, pausing just long enough to look to Wolji in genuine bafflement. “How in all the hells did I end up here?”

For once, Woljif is at a loss for words. How should he know? He barely knows how he got here, outside of ‘it’s better than jail or being gutted by the Family’. “You’re asking the wrong person. I’m just a thiefling, remember? I don’t know nothing.” He pauses, and points to the decorations on the table behind Piper. “Except that those silver candlesticks are probably worth at least fifty gold each.”

Piper blinks, glances at the candlesticks- and a laugh bursts from her mouth. Just like that, her frantic mood is gone, and she’s once again the evasively charming Knight Commander. “You don’t say? Must be real silver to net that much.” She moves breezily across the room to examine the candlesticks. Her eyes don’t leave the silver as she continues speaking. “And…you know more than you realize. For what it’s worth, I like having you around.”

Woljif tries not to let the words go to his head- they’re just words after all, and people say all kinds of things to get what they want. Even if he can’t think of anything the Knight Commander would want from someone like him. “You’d be the first. But thanks, chief.”

“Demonspawn stick together, yeah? And…they don’t let slip to the rest of the army that the new commander has no idea what she’s doing and no qualifications to be leading anybody?” Piper shoots him an apprehensive glance. “The other stories- they’re ridiculous, I know. But they are so much nicer. And heaven knows these people need something to believe in.”

To his surprise, Woljif encounters something he doesn’t feel all that often: a twinge of sympathy. He doesn’t know all these crusaders and do-gooders, but he does know himself. He did the same thing Piper is doing every time he pressed his face against the shop window to catch a glimpse of his amulet. And maybe nothing about that was ever real, and never will be. But it felt good to hope.

Of course, he knows how stupid he’d sound if he said anything like that out loud. So Woljif gives a quick nod and says, “Sure, chief. I’m in no position to give you grief over whatever stories you wanna tell.”

Relief shines in Piper’s smile, and with a laugh she tosses the candlestick to Woljif. “Good- because you know what else we demonspawn do? We help each other fence their rich friend’s trinkets that he never uses.”

A grin curls across Woljif’s face as he catches the loot. “Now you’re talking!”

Piper nods in approval before turning on her heel and heading towards the door. “Tuck those away and let’s go find Daeran. If I’m going to steal from our host and snoop through his stuff, I should probably have the decency of getting drunk with him first.”

It’s not a bad idea- Woljif hates to admit it, but the overpriced wine Daeran’s serving really isn’t half bad. So he follows Piper, sparing only one last look around the room before closing the door on the dust and cobwebs and daydreams of a happy family.

Those things are all part of somebody else’s story.

[monstersdownthepath]

Monster Spotlight: Shax, the Blood Marquis

CR 28

Chaotic Evil Medium Outsider

Adventure Path: Wrath of the Righteous: Sword of Valor, pg. 84-85

Alright, alright, you all twisted my arm. Quite a few people came into my notes and my inbox expressing their... appreciation for a handsome bird-man in a leather outfit after I talked about his colossal murder mansion. While he’s not necessarily my type (I do like the outfit, mind), I understand. I really do! Unfortunately, while he may be pretty, he’s anything but a perfect partner.

Shax is Demon Lord of Envy, Lies, and Murder, and I bold that last one because Shax isn’t just any old murderer. He doesn’t go around knifing people in the street and leaving them to die, oh no; he’s an artist of agony, a maestro of massacres, a virtuoso of violence, and he’s no longer satisfied with just any old stabbing, it has to be special! Shax gives his victims a five-star murder experience, torturing them physically and/or psychologically for hours before giving them some measure of hope that they may yet escape their situation. Perhaps a bind on their table or bar in their cage is loose, or perhaps he’s left a weapon just close enough to their hand that they can reach it, or some miraculous rescuer comes to their aid... but it’s all an act, a play, and the Blood Marquis sets the stage with himself as both director and audience.

They flee from one cage and fall into another, or the weapon breaks the moment it’s needed most, or the rescuer turns out to be a demon in disguise (or even Shax himself, via Shapechange) that led them to an even more horrifying situation. Shax lives for watching the hope die in his victim’s eyes before he plucks them right from the sockets and eats them, and works to cultivate the most hope possible before he destroys it utterly. If he had his way, he’d make his victims’ suffering last for days or even weeks, but luckily(?) most mortals don’t last more than a day or two under his attentions... not for lack of trying, on his part. He’s always looking to improve his techniques. And besides, even if mortals are too flimsy for his tastes, there’s plenty of blood to spill among the angels.

As the Blood Marquis, Shax is all about blood. He’s a blood FANATIC and a bleed damage enthusiast, fittingly for a torturer, so he prefers drawing things out slowly. To this end, he has a 30ft Aura of Bleeding Wounds that causes ALL piercing and slashing damage done BY anyone TO anyone--friend and foe alike--to inflict 1d6 bleed damage to whoever receives the damage. Unlike most forms of bleed, this bleed stacks with itself up to 10d6, quickly going from a nuisance to a life-threatening DoT if the flow isn’t staunched. Of course, Shax himself is immune to bleed, and he can freely designate anyone in the aura to become immune to its effects... though he typically doesn’t, because every drop of blood is another weapon he can use.

As a swift action, Shax can throw open a toolbox in the form of Command Blood, one of the most potent abilities in his kit. Any creature suffering from even a single point of bleed can be affected by it if they fail the DC 38 Fortitude save, and the effect continues so long as the bleed does. A creature under the effects of Command Blood can be blinded as their own fluids surge into their eyes, drowned as it slips into their nose and mouth, disarmed as it flows over their limbs and coats their held items to make them extra slippery... or turned into autonomous turrets under Shax’s command. Gruesome Tendrils is the final option for Command Blood, ending the bleed on the victim but causing their blood to form into stinging tendrils that automatically inflict 1d6 slashing and 1d6 bleed damage to everything within 5ft of the victim. It’s a meager amount of damage, but Shax can Summon Demons 3/day to conjure an emergency legion for himself, and command his minions to lacerate each other simply so he can create hazardous minefields for the party to move through. Remember that every bit of slashing and piercing damage causes stacking bleed, making even his meager minions dangerous as their claws and the lashing tendrils he forms from them cause mounting damage over time.

Much like the previously reviewed Nocticula, Shax has the combination of Time Stop and Summon Demons, allowing him to go from alone to surrounded by allies he can flank with in a single moment from the party’s perspective. UNLIKE Nocticula, he has far more spells he can use during Time Stop to make fighting him absolute hell: He can conjure a Blade Barrier 3/day to shape the battlefield with dangerous, slicing (and thus bloodletting) blades, and has Mage’s Sword 3/day to autonomously deal 4d6+3 to a target as the mystic blade slashes them over and over again even if they manage to stay out of his reach. He can also summon Spiritual Weapons at will, each one dealing 1d8+5 damage and striking up to four times a round; setting up either of his autonomous weapons during a battle would be a waste of his standard action, but Time Stop potentially allows him to curse the entire party with invincible knives that will be dealing constant damage over time and stacking their bleed ever-higher. He may not even need to draw his own weapons if he feels the party is far too beneath him, letting his minions and summoned blades cut them apart and commanding their blood to kill them for him.

You absolutely do not want him to draw his weapons while you’re adjacent to him. Shax is devastating if he’s allowed to Full-Attack... but significantly less harmful if his enemies manage to stay out of his reach, as dagger specialists typically are. Each of his +5 Unholy Daggers deals 1d4+15 damage, and he has the full tree of Two-Weapon Fighting feats to let him attack at maximum power with both of them if he’s allowed to make a Full-Attack, meaning he can strike upwards to eight times a round! That’’s 8d4+120 (+1d10+10 thanks to Two-Weapon Rend) damage before factoring in the stacking bleed, any potential critical hits, or his terrifying +5d6 Sneak Attack which he will be making full use of at every single available opportunity. If you get blinded by your own blood or caught between Shax and his summoned allies, you’re taking a 20th-level Disintegrate-worth of extra damage on top of being blended by his knives.

Sorry, wait, hold on, I missed something! Hah, silly me! 1d4+15? I meant 1d4+25, because the Marquis’ Frightful Weapon Prowess causes anyone vulnerable to fear effects to take +10 damage from all weapon attacks he makes, ranged or melee. His skill with his blades is so terrifying that simply seeing him work makes his attacks more painful. Immunity to fear prevents this extra damage, as does simply closing your eyes so you don’t see his blades coming, but this obviously opens you to his Sneak Attack even if you’re not being flanked or blinded, so it’s a choice about whether you want to take +10 flat damage that’s potentially multiplied by a critical hit or +5d6 variable damage that isn’t affected by crits. And speaking of crits: if even a single one of the blows so much as threatens a critical hit, his Painful Cuts kicks in, staggering the victim for one round per threat, or 1d4 rounds if the crit is confirmed (which also forces a DC 43 Fortitude save to avoid being hit with Blinding Critical), shielding him from retaliatory Full-Attacks.

Thus: if you’re not somehow immune to Frightful Weapon Prowess and are vulnerable to his Sneak Attack, this brings his max Full-Attack damage to 8d4+1d10+210 + 40d6 + 8d6 bleed (this isn’t even accounting for his weapon’s Unholy ability). Spicy! Too bad moving just 10ft away causes his intimidating damage track to fall like a lead weight. His infinite supply of Thrown Surgical Tools can be tossed up to four times a round for 1d6+10 (and an extra +10 from FWP), but it’s harder for him to use his Sneak Attack from a range and 1d6+10 up to four times pales in comparison to the storm of steel he becomes in melee.

His tools prevent his damage from falling too hard if he’s getting kited around, but if he wants to be especially petty about people ducking his reach, it gives him an excuse to make use of Greater Disarm; if you’re going to be moving away from him anyway he’s going to give you a damn good reason to do so by sending your weapons flying... And if you think that’s giving up too much damage, remember the constant bleed and his attacking Spiritual Weapon and Mage Swords. Depending on how badly he wishes to savor a particular encounter, he may forego using his tools altogether, preferring to disarm his foes and allow his summons to pick them to pieces!

... Ah, yes, his summons, I almost forgot. He can not only summon demons, but if he’s in his realm, Charnelhome, he can use Miracle to bring allies from across the cosmos to his aid if he needs flankers, and he’s encouraged to do so for one specifically gruesome reason: Any party capable of fighting him will likely not be too stressed about whatever he calls, but they serve as... well, a quick snack. Command Blood has a final function that encourages him to use it on his allies as well as enemies, especially allies he considers expendable: If a creature dies while under its effects, their blood slithers towards him unerringly at a rate of 60ft/round, and if it reaches him without being destroyed (even a single point of Fire damage does it) or transmuted into another substance, he automatically absorbs it and gets a Heal spell for his trouble, regenerating 150 HP and shedding a multitude of status ailments.

This ability to Absorb Blood functions even if he’s unable to take any actions himself, the blood slithering of its own accord towards him... and it works on anything he’s used Command Blood on, regardless of size or species. Fun fact: he has a pathetic 1d6+5 bite attack that nonetheless deals slashing damage. Second fun fact: There’s usually innocent civilians in his murder manor he can summon to his side at any time. Call an innocent in, nip them with his beak, command their blood, and the moment they die, he gets mid-battle healing at the cost of a moment of his time. Minions called in by his Miracle (NOT his summon, as summoned creatures and all portions of them disappear if they die) or ones which were simply present when the battle began are also vulnerable to being made into juiceboxes, but he can also grant them a bonus: rather than the lashing tendrils, he can have them get coated in their own blood instead. Since demons tend to use natural weapons instead of manufactured ones, they can reap the benefits of the +10 to checks to avoid being grappled or bound with no downsides! Except, of course, their boss waiting for them to die so he can drink them. He can even knife them himself in the middle of his Full-Attack if he needs it in an emergency! Victims don’t have to die from the bleed, they just have to die while affected by Command Blood, an ability with no per-day or target number restriction and no set duration aside from ‘this ends when the bleed does.’ 

A battle with Shax can be downright frustrating if you haven’t brought some Fire damage with you to eliminate his blood blobs, but at least it’s pretty. Y’know, if you’re into blood being everywhere. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and he understands, though I imagine that for someone so obsessive about his craft it can be just as frustrating for him when a party member’s death doesn’t go as planned (healing magic is RUINING his vision!), or it goes too well and the poor sod who got burst down for 400 damage right when his Time Stop ended didn’t get to enjoy the effort he put into making sure their arterial spray landed in a perfect arc across their teammates’ eyes. 

Ah well, he’ll get it right next time.

You can read more about him here.

[adozentothedawn]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Uuuuh, that is an ask game I will happily join. 👀👀

Alright so I definitely have to put my most recent piece on here: Hypothetical, a story about Waidwen at the beginning of the Saint's War meeting a strange wael priestess in a tavern and having a conversation while he is slowly breaking apart by the weight of a god's power. Honestly I ways getting rather sick of it while writing but after taking so long between starting and finishing it I do rather like the whole product. The time it took really gave me some perspective that writing doesn't have a set ideal result to work towards. Also honestly I just like it, I first wrote up the concept a few years ago and didn't think I'd ever do it but it really came out nicely I think.

Next on my (entirely unordered) list is Constellations, my only Dragon Age fic. It's about my Aeducan Warden Solveig feeling guilty about her reaction to Alistair's confession and her admitting to him her own heritage. It's also an excuse for me to talk dwarf culture, a thing these games have horrifyingly little of.

Next, On Angel's Wings, a Wrath of the Righteous fic about my angel commander Arturas having just. The shittest time in the Abyss. But Lariel has some things to say about anyone insulting his newest sibling, including said sibling. (Also fun fact, I started writing this before Owlcat actually gave him a proper dialogue tree. I take at least 5% credit for them doing that. xD I like to think so at least because I did send in a bug report about that.)

A Pillars of Eternity one again, Death and the Sunrise. A two-shot about Berath's feelings on Eothas in general and his rampage in Deadfire in specific. I had a lot of fun writing that one, playing around with perspectives and the weird dysfunctional family dynamics of that Pantheon.

And last but not least A Death in Your Name, a fic describing the life and death of my primary Watcher's prior life, Inquisitor and High Priestess of Eothas Emblyn ix Ensios. This was also the fic that caused me to join tumblr because the lovely @orime-stories invited me in the comments.^^ This is probably the fic of mine where the most things actually happen,I have a tendency to write people talking and feeling things more than actual plot. Still a lot of talking and feeling things though, including a conflicted Eothas and a very pissed Iovara finding that they have more in common than either of them would like.

(I have more fics, in particular 3 more Waidwen fics, but I shall limit myself.)

For simplicity's sake I will send this further in the form of tags because every time I send an ask I get concerned I somehow clicked on the wrong person and am about to emberass myself. @stylishanachronism, @adraveins, @solas-backpack-mug, @bragganhyl, and @ampleappleamble (Also of course @orime-stories if you would like), I hereby ask you to please tell me what of your stuff I should (in all likelyhood re-)read.

[lya-dustin]

All is bliss

Chapter 14

Gif @behindfairytales

Taglist: @mercedesdecorazon @aemondx @sweethoneyblossom1 @darylandbethfanforever9

When royalty comes to your door, you do jot slam it in their face.

No one can say no to them. Everything they ask of you; you must do it or else pray the Targaryen at your door is one with a heart.

Jena feels a thrill at slamming it in Aemma’s face, but once the feeling passes, she opens it again.

Aemma Velaryon was more of a Seahorse than a Dragon even if just hours ago the Silver Queen’s flames had burned her.

“Well played, your highness.” Jena said coolly.

She had not been put in her place like that, Jena had risen to the top because most of these ladies were too easily led.

The older ladies had been formidable, but their progeny and granddaughters had grown complacent once the more strong-willed ladies left with Princess Rhaenyra.

No one here could ruin Queen Alicent the Pious’ perception of an all harmonious court filled with righteous people who never strayed from the path.

Luckily for Jena, she knew how to be discreet and how to bend the rules just enough to get away with it.

“It was the easiest way to get the court to shut up. I didn’t want to, but I had to.” Aemma says as if wanting to apologize.

And then she did.

“I am sorry.”

First time Jena has heard a dragon apologizing.

Even Aemond hardly did, broke their affair via a short missive sent with a page in his household.

And because the princess thinks she has not heard her, she says it again.

“I am sorry for humiliating you in front of everybody, had I had a choice, I would have not done it.”

The princess means it, her periwinkle eyes serious and her face showing genuine guilt.

She would be a good queen, a shame this marriage was done with the sole intent of stealing her crown.

“You shouldn’t apologize, you punished me for disturbing the peace of court and slandering you. I am lucky you did not call for my tongue, or worse, my head.” Jena dismissed it knowing Aemma needs to learn to be cruel when the occasion calls for it.

She will need it. You need cold steel and soft silk and a tongue full of poisonous honey to rule, especially a place filled with green vipers.

“I should be thanking you for taking Aegon’s attention from me, it is a relief not to have him rutting on top of me these days.” Aemma changed the topic with a wry smile.

Aegon was a selfish lover, had a habit of making one feel used especially when he finishes and leaves without a care for his partner.

Women were toys to him. Pretty dolls he can claim and know they cannot refuse him without risking his wrath.

He was the king’s son, the queen’s favorite little monster, the perfect puppet king Hightower has created to further his ambitions.

Who could ever say no to him?

“Glad to be of service, your highness.” Jena nods as she accepts her gratitude.

“You need an ally at court. If it please, your highness, I would like to be that ally.” Not friends, allies.

They could be friends. Sure the mistress is never friends with the wife, but this situation is far more complex.

Jena does what she can to keep her husband and her family in a position of prestige and make sure Mistwood is hers.

She had already lost Mistwood to her late husband when her father brought them to ruin with his gambling and drinking, Jena would not lose it a second time.

Friendship will come later, if it comes at all.

“I would like that, Lady Wylde.” The princess agreed cautiously.

And to show her she is being honest, Jena tells her about this secret meeting the lord hand and the queen are having with Vaemond Velaryon.

Aemma’s threat had been simple.

Do not cross me.

Alicent hears it again when she sits at the head of the table wearing seafoam green satin and pink flowers.

She looks like a young girl, and yet commands the room despite her looks.

“If you go forth with your petition, dear nuncle, you will find yourself a head shorter tomorrow morning.” She said drumming her nails on the tabletop.

“I will not be denied my birthright, niece.” He takes the seat of the Master of Ships and Alicent is forced to sit beside her father instead of her usual place, the head of the table.

Alicent will never admit it to anyone, but she has come to enjoy being the one with the power.

To make the decisions, to sit on the Throne and make all your suffering worth it.

And yet, here comes someone younger, more beautiful to cast her down and take all she holds dear.

She has Aemond’s heart, Helaena’s confidence and Aegon’s obsession.

Even little Daeron finds herself tongue-tied and red faced whenever she even speaks to him.

“He has a right to be heard, your highness.” Her father warns knowing Aemma will pose a problem.

He got rid of the previous Aemma when she began asking Viserys to consider Rhaenyra as their heir, gods know what he would do to this Aemma.

“Yes, he does, but have you considered that this would invite speculation on any children Aegon claims as his?” this she asks looking at her directly. “We all know any child I have will not be his, who is to say someone will speak the truth as my great uncle will do tomorrow and call into question the succession?”

Vaemond scoffed, “As if the One-Eye would dare rise against his own children.”

Her father tensed, caught unawares about the arrangement.

He was never supposed to know. The babe’s true father would remain a secret until it was no longer dangerous.

And that time would have been when Otto Hightower was on his deathbed.

“I am not saying Aemond, you and I know that Driftmark is only the beginning for you.” Aemma ignores the calculating look on the other player on the board as she spells out the obvious.

Helaena preceded Aemond, Helaena’s sons would be a threat to Aemma’s just for being trueborn.

Aemond would not do so as the father of the children, but Helaena’s children could grow and ask why bastards took their birthright from them.

Just as Alicent had raised her children to question why Rhaenyra’s sons got everything and they nothing.

Aemond’s eye was a warning of what was to come and Alicent had sought to stop it by having Aemma’s claim be tied to Aegon’s.

Except she hadn’t.

No, she had delayed the inevitable.

The dragons will dance and the realm will curse them for it.

[dmagedgoods]

Knight Commander Salvadore - information to find again, part I

Just a collection of things about his story in/after Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for anyone who wonders. 😊 About memories and (not so) lost years Since I feel that’s important to know for all his way and his decisions: If Salvadore lacked any memories at the very beginning of the game, they came back to him fast. Also, those 80-something years Areelu apparently experimented on the soul to make things work, doesn’t mean he was captured or in some kind of stasis for this time or that they are suddenly missing since this makes no sense in my state of things at all. Areelu experimented without Salvadore’s knowledge, during his childhood already and before, but he lived his life, and just at the very end of her experiments (he was 25), he got captured and held captive in her laboratory for a few months. (I know there are many commanders with memory loss and lost years out there and I love them and their backgrounds dearly, it’s just a personal decision for Sal’s very own in-game story. Without memories, he wouldn’t have been able to make the decisions the way he did and it would have been less fun for me. But even more important: With 80 lost years, he would have wondered why this much time had passed, would have talked to someone about it, it would have needed a quest to resolve/find out what happened in Absalom and to his family etc. If a game wants me to play a memory loss story with 80 lost years, it better tells me so from the beginning, then maybe I would have written his backstory differently. But most of those things aren’t even (clearly) stated in the angel path and I only know them because of conversations with people who did Legend and other paths. So, I go with: The story varies from path to path or let’s phrase it like this: I take the liberty to interpret it my way in my state of things and it completely works with all the statements I get on angel path. If I ever play a different commander on a different path, I may go for the memory loss/lost years version.)

[quenthel]

Wrath of the Righteous Romance rantings... 2!!

I wrote a post abt this several months ago but that post is gone now so here is take 2 of my rankings and personal opinions of all the romances in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. I will try to phrase these as spoiler-free as possible, and will only be discussing things that are supported by the text within the game, so no headcanons or anything.

Also, since generally speaking the romances in this game are very good, most of these rankings will be up to my own preferences and how I experienced them. When there are writing issues that come up with a close read of these stories I will specifically point them out. I will be basing everything on both my own experience playing the game but also on stuff I saw after my initial playtroughs either online or shared by friends.

Video games rarely have well written romance arcs or stories overall in my opinion, since many of them are much more focused on telling a grand story, so romance content either gets a secondary seat, with not much focus or impact, or will simply be included to be included. They are also usually beloved parts of said games, even if the quality of the writing, or what exactly they offer and add to a regular playtrough are not great. Wrath of the Righteous on the other hand really elevates what romantic plotlines can add to the a game and how they can be an effective tool to showcase and explore different sides of individual characters as well.

Once again, most of these ratings are going to be based on my personal opinion as well as the overall quality of the themes these storylines present. The ones that go deeper into exploring characters and offer new insight are generally going to be ranked higher. The additional mythic path specific romances are not included in the ranking itself, but I will also briefly discuss them, since between now and the time I wrote the first post, I played them all too.

5. Camellia

Camelllia ranks the lowest on this list simply because of the general lack of content to her romance, and the lack of closure it offers. This romance starts out as a very interesting and exciting one that falls incredibly flat after act 4 and almost completely fizzles out by the last act. The issues in my opinion come from the same basis as the general issues that are present in Camellia’s writing (but I’m not here today to discuss those issues in great detail right now). It offers a lot and gives actually very little, while also just offering more of the same character one would experience when unromanced. That being said, still this story has some high points and toys with interesting ideas (like having a girlfriend who is a bit of a stabby sicko, and who actually challenges the commander in some way, which was honestly refreshing), but never actually delivers on them, leaving them instead half baked, with a somewhat flat finish. In an inferior game, this would be among the more interesting romance paths however, but combined with how good the rest of them are, and how much it falls apart on a close read, it simply was not an enjoyable experience for me.

An additional thing here is that her writing is occasionally transphobic, and sometimes logically makes no sense for the setting itself either. I mostly refer here to her incredibly heteronormative remarks towards Seelah specifically, which is a viewpoint that is simply not expressed by anyone else in the game, so it feels like she just has a very limited and rigid view on gender out of nowhere, which ruined the immersion for me.

4. Sosiel

While Camellia ranked lower because of the lackluster nature of the story, Sosiel gets a low ranking because it felt like whomever wrote his story hated writing it. What starts as a sweet and albeit a bit awkward romance turns worse and worse as it progresses. There are some high points, and they explore Sosiel’s general naiveté and worldview, a lot of the romance feels more like as a young guy having a crush on you instead of something mutual. For example, he talks a lot about his art and the Commander can’t really enjoy it with him, simply he will barely tolerate that part of him.

His romance is also the only one that crosses the line from being only together for sexual reasons into being an actual abusive relationship between him and the Commander if you pick specific options. While as a story this could be interesting if explored with enough grace and nuance, here it is simply presented more as a perverse fascination and the evil and abusive factors are offered just because its fucked up, pointlessly. I think this is especially in bad taste, given Sosiel is the not only the only gay character, but also the only black man among all the romance options.

If you go for the “true love” ending (which is something ALL romances have) you get a generally sweet and enjoyable story about the commander being his first love, and Sosiel having the opportunity to explore these feelings and his own sexuality with somebody who is perhaps a bit older and more experienced (based on the dialogue options you can pick). Again, in a lesser game, this romance would be very good! But it also tries to do things that are better written in the other romance paths that are there in this same game!

From this point on, the rankings are based only on my own personal preferences. While I will continue critiquing the writing here and there, overall these storylines are solid, and I think most people will find at least one that really works for them or any character they are playing.

3. Lann

Lann’s romance is very good. Not perfect, for reasons I will discuss in a bit, but very good. It’s a bit more slow paced than every other romance path given his awkward personality and hesitance when it comes to opening his heart up again (and his own feelings of inferiority), the amount of content he gets is perhaps only a little bit less than it is for the other romances. While his non-romanced story explores what kind of character he is, his romance path delves a bit deeper into why exactly he is like that, and explores a different, more intimate and open side of him. While his main struggle remains the same as in his regular storyline, his problems and issues are laid much more bare for the commander to see, and his struggles with those problems are written both realistically and compassionately. Too bad then, that the commander cannot express any kind of compassion or love towards him at all!

This is my main gripe with this romance. You are never given the chance to appreciate or reassure him. The commander remains incredibly passive in this romance story as well, and mayor beats of the story will keep happening AT her instead of with her present as a participant. Also, this story has a very specific idea for what kind of woman the commander is, and sometimes enforces a specific idea of womanhood onto her as well. Given that this is a straight romance, it is not entirely unexpected. For most cishet players, or for people who happen to roleplay as commander who do fit that ideal this will be no problem. While Cam’s gender ideas and general heternormativity felt out of place, Lann’s much more reflexive and flexible ideas about gender and gender roles actually work to inform about how these things are done in the mongrel society (as supported by both the Wenduag romance and some conversations with Sull). So this romantic story not only showcases Lann’s character in more depth, but also functions almost as a tool to explore the setting even further, and in my opinion this part made experiencing both his and Wenduag’s romances much more fun. The two stories also have paralells to each other as do their personal struggles, which was even more fun to explore and see.

While Lann can be only romanced by female commanders (and is generally a very gendered romance path, but not necessarily in a bad or distracting way) he does express some bisexual desire in other conversations, which makes me wish there was more of a space in his writing to explore that further, but that would have required more time to implement, since that would have called for an entire rewrite of the whole thing.

2. Arueshalae

Arueshalae was the first romance I ever played trough in this game, so it will always have a soft spot in my heart. She is also the only character whose romance arc ties incredibly heavily into her regular friendship arc. The payoff at the end is incredibly good! But it CAN be lessened if you already experienced the un-romanced version first. That being said, this story is incredible. Its a closer exploration of her struggles that we do get to see generally, but here we get a much closer view as she struggles to realize her dreams. It’s also somewhat slower paced, but it maintains a level of emotional intensity that I enjoyed a lot. Generally speaking it is a very sweet romance that is definitely worth a playtrough.

Another thing I really liked about this story is how relatable it felt to me, as a lesbian who used to struggle a lot with intimacy and my own desires and feelings towards other women. Her writing captures these complex and contradictory feelings incredibly well, and that deserves credit! I also enjoyed, how she as a bisexual woman received guidance from Anevia in her quest towards love, since to me that mirrored the real life experiences of wlw forming communities and teaching each other that it is okay to have these feelings and desires.

She is also technically a romance option if you decide to go her “evil” way, but that bit to me felt more like a little joke than anything serious. The writing barely even acknowledges it if you decide to sleep with Evil!Aru, which feels fitting, and I simply don’t consider that version an actual romance story.

1.Daeran AND Wenduag

They BOTH get to be first because both of these stories are just excellent.

Daeran

Daeran ranks very high not only because of how fun, well written and reactive his romance arc is, but also because he is in my opinion one of the most well written companions on the game. Just like his personality, the romance story at first appears shallow and a little bit annoying and uninteresting, but as it develops, the story deepens and we get to explore entirely new facets and elements of his character. Generally he is written in this way in the main game too, since picking different options while talking to him or taking him along will sometimes reveal hidden opinions and depths to him that are sometimes unexpected.

The narrative development of his romance story is just excellent. The game dedicates a lot of time to the exploration of how exactly he is slowly opening up and truly falling for the Commander. This is also thanks to the fact that he has the most romance content among all of the companions, and it is clear that whomever was writing him had a lot of fun with his character. His romance arc also offers closure to his personal quest that is simply missing if you are only friends with him. While this might be a bit frustrating, I think this is a very strong choice that fits his overall characterization as a person who has a LOT of trouble with opening up to others or being even a little bit vulnerable.

Overall, excellent romance story that fits his personality perfectly, and which is just a blast to play trough, since it perfectly mixes between emotional beats and the more playful elements of a romance.

Wenduag

Wenduag is perhaps one of the more controversial or dividing characters in the game. It’s mostly because of her generally unpleasant personality and because to pick her your character also has to be either a little bit evil, or simply somebody who dislikes Lann, who is definitely the more charming at first glance of the two. She is also my favorite character.

Similar to how Daeran’s story and character develops, Wendu starts off as somebody who clearly is only around to get some sort of an upper hand, and who gets interested in the Commander for purely sexual reasons. But as her story develops, her romance explores much more of why she is the way she is and how EXACTLY she feels about her place in the world, and what struggles come with it. Her story mirrors Lann in many many ways, which makes sense since both of them grew up and got socialized in the same environment, but found very different answers to how to survive and thrive. Her romance arc also offers a better conclusion to her end quest, since the commander is more privy to her inner world and personal feelings. Also during the final scene her VA did SUCH a fucking excellent job it was just an absolute joy to experience it.

While Wendu might not be for everyone I cannot recommend this romance enough. Wendu’s writing is just incredibly compelling and there is a lot of depth to her and her reactions and the emotional beats of this storyline just hit perfectly. Just as I mentioned with Lann, her worldview is also more presented in the romance specific conversations, either mirroring or contrasting how he sees the world, but also it informs a lot about how mongrel society functions. Just an absolute joy this one was.

Other romances

Wrath of the Righteous also has some more minor romances. These generally have less or barely any content.

Galfrey

Objectively the most developed and fleshed out of all of these. There is an actual storyline here, and we get to know Galfrey a bit better, which helps to humanize her further (which does not really happen in the game, a writing decision that i find VERY good). She has an opportunity to become less of a crusader figure and more of a person, which is interesting to see. Unfortunately this romance is limited to specific mythic paths (Aeon, gold dragon and angel iirc), so not a lot of players will have the opportunity to explore it. That being said, it is a worthy addition and offers some new perspective on Galfrey which was nice to see. (Also I never actually finished this one, BUT a lot of my friends who did enjoyed it a lot).

Nocticula

This is a very very limited romance that only be accessed if you take specific options during the demon mythic path. You get to become her lover/butler which is pretty fun. She leaves your ass eventually though I’m sorry. Still, was enjoyable, and I liked that it was an option, but generally demon path offers more complex relationships you can have with her.

Socothbenoth

Almost nothing. You go Trickster you can have sex with him and flirt with him like 3 times. If you want to do that lol. Its barely anything though.

Deskari

You heard me. Play swarm!!! Play swarm now its good its soo good!! You can develop a mutual psycho-sexual fascination with each other its VERY good.

Thats all! Overall, lot of good and great options! Most of these stories imho really elevate what video game romances can be like and what they can offer. Too bad that there are no poly options, but as I understand it they simply had no time to implement them. I’m also a bit sad abt the lack of lesbian romance options specifically, but thats more of a representation thing for ME. Also would have been cool if they give more room generally speaking for nb characters to exist, but alas.

Thanks for reading. <3

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for September 14, 2023 

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for the Day

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 24:23 (KJV): 23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect for persons in judgment. Proverbs 24:23 (AMP): 23 These also are sayings of the wise. To discriminate and be partial, having respect for persons in judging, is not good.

Thought for the Day

This verse is addressed to the wise, who are told not to discriminate or show partiality when sitting in a position of judgment. To make a fair judgment about anything, there first must be laws that are considered the standard in a situation. The standard for Christians consists of God's laws that are recorded in the Bible. These rules and commandments were given so that people could live blessed and peaceable lives. God's laws preserve order on earth and also show man his sin and need for a Savior. Those who walk in the Spirit, fulfill the law by loving others. They reap the blessings that come from walking in God's ways.

The Bible outlines various penalties for breaking God's laws. The ultimate penalty for sinners is that they will go to hell. I want to repeat what has been included in previous verses, because of its utmost importance. The good news is that Jesus, the son of God, came to the earth and died on the cross, giving Himself as the only sacrifice that could make atonement for our sins. He was raised from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God. As the ultimate Judge, He is not a respecter of persons. What He will do for one, He will do for another. All who come to God through Jesus will be pardoned, no matter what sin they have committed. "But God commandeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Romans 5:8-10).

America's founding fathers were Christians and based much of their legal structure on the Bible's moral laws. Many laws in the U.S. are based directly on laws found in Deuteronomy. To our detriment, many sound laws have been altered or abandoned. Scripture describes times such as ours: "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time" (Daniel 7:25).

Our present-day judicial system has drifted from its original intent of protecting the innocent and convicting the wicked. Today, the law is being exploited by some people who want to use it for gain. Many are seeking outlandish settlements, that in the end, all people will pay for. Through unfair settlements such as these, lawyers are the ones most rewarded. Of course, not all lawyers are greedy. Many good lawyers seek to help and serve their clients. However, due to a faulty legal system, the protection of the innocent has often been overruled, while criminals are not justly dealt with. We need to return to Biblical principles and shape our laws accordingly if we desire to see justice in our land. "The God of Israel said...He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God" (2 Samuel 23:3). "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do, right?" (Genesis 18:25b).

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, I am eternally grateful that You have forgiven me of my sins and that You paid the price for them on the cross. Lord, I now want to serve You faithfully every day. I am also thankful that You are a righteous judge and I can always commit my case to You, and You will treat me fairly in everything. Since You are no respecter of persons, You will do this for all who look to You. Lord, I pray that as a nation, we will be given righteous judges so that all people will receive justice in the courts of our land. I ask this in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller @ParkermillerQ,  gatekeeperwatchman.org Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Wednesday, September 13, 2023, Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sparkermiller.JAX.FL.USA, https://www.facebook.com/StevenParkerMillerQ Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956 Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, https://twitter.com/StevenPMiller6 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman, https://www.tumblr.com/gatekeeper-watchman https://www.pinterest.com/GatekeeperWatchman1/ #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller, #Eldermiller1981

[tj-van-heerden]

Righteousness.

A righteous life means to live according to God's will and in obedience to Him and his words. This includes not sinning, as well us not doing useless things that can take up the time you can do something for God. It is necessary for us to live a righteous life to be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God. We need to study the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit to seek out what God calls righteousness and what God calls sin. The Holy Spirit also guides us and gives us knowledge about righteousness and sin. Our righteous life, and spending time with the things of God, glorifies Him.

Matt 7:21 [WEB] Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

The most important commandments: Matt 22:36-40 [WEB] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Righteousness also means, as seen above, that we should be devoted to God with all our heart and mind. As we grow into mature Christians, we can live in the fullness of righteousness and do work for the Lord with all our heart and mind, living out the fullness of our calling in the Lord.

Here are some more verses about righteousness:

Gen 6:9 [WEB] …Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.

Mal 2:6 [WEB] The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.

Matt 6:33 [WEB] But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matt 13:41-43 [WEB] The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matt 23:28 [WEB] Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

2Cor 5:9, 10 [WEB] Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Eph 5:9, 10 [WEB] for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.

Heb 11:6 [WEB] Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

Rom 1:18 [WEB] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…

Rom 1:28, 29 [WEB] Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness…

Rom 2:7-9 [WEB] to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation, oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil

1Cor 6:9 [WEB] Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived…

2Thess 2:11, 12 [WEB] Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2Tim 2:19 [WEB] However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

[msclaritea]

"This image from the Olympics is a clear example of Satan’s bait, designed to provoke Christians into responding in the flesh with wrath, vengeance, and resentment.

As Christians, we must recognize this for what it is: a trap set by Satan to draw us away from the teachings of Christ.

When we let anger and bitterness take hold, we fall into the enemy’s hands.

It took me so long to see the same spirit stirring within my heart after years of focusing on the evil of everyone else, and I now see it stirring within the hearts of many Christians today.

It’s like Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:12-13, that “because of the increase of wickedness the hearts of most will grow cold, but the one who endures until the end will be saved.”

I believe that all this anger, wrath, and desire for vengeance stirring right now is ultimately leading to something significant—the great deception that has been brewing for quite some time.

This will lead many into a self-righteous, overzealous, and misguided war against Babylon, who reigns over the kings of the Earth, the same enemy the beast destroys. (Revelation 17:16)

When people develop a mob mentality and turn to vengeance, it always results in the death of the innocent.

Look at the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Dark Ages.

Prideful, self-righteous, misguided zeal will be responsible for the death of the true saints—those who are truly faithful in Christ, guard their hearts, and withstand the enemy’s tactics, because they’ll be seen as traitors and lumped in with the overt darkness.

As John 16:2 warns, “The time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.”

There’s a reason why God warned us against taking vengeance for ourselves, reminding us that vengeance is His alone (Romans 12:19).

We are called to endure patiently, demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit as Christ commanded, by loving and serving our neighbors.

Our actions should draw others to the gospel, making them wonder what makes us so different.

Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many Christians today.

The culture war unfolding is a flesh-led territorial war over this fallen world, rather than the true spiritual war the Apostle Paul described—a fight against the flesh, humbling ourselves before the Lord, and recognizing our own deep spiritual sin and fallen nature.

There’s nothing wrong with calling out the evil in the unbelieving world, but it must be coupled with a genuine, loving call for repentance and turning from their ways.

We must remember that judgment is not ours to deliver; it is for God to execute in His timing.

When Christ returns, He will deliver judgment upon the nations.

Those who remain faithful to Him, following His path, will be the saints who are given dominion and authority over the nations that survive the tribulation.

However, many people desire this power now.

This impatience, stubbornness, and pride drive the deception of the Antichrist and the strong delusion, leading many professing Christians toward destruction and the prophesied falling away."

"I've got a lot to say about this...

It's amazing that the people who turned the alphabet mafia and "science" into their own religion can't come up with their own religious ceremonies

Instead, they transplant it onto the religious iconography that they despise most. It's literal conquest via artistic desecration.

As you guys know, I'm not very religious, but even I can see this for what it is. They aren't just interested in replacing the domestic population. They also seek to destroy the underpinnings of civilization. The constitution, marriage, parenthood, religion...

All must be destroyed

It may seem benign to some. Hell, I probably would've laughed it off a few years ago. Not anymore. This is just one of the most blatant and intentional insults I've ever seen. Undeniable, really.

An event intended to appeal to and unify the world in meritocratic endeavor, co-opted instead to launch artistic nukes at a single religion.

This is evil. I can't describe it otherwise."

[dragonologist-writings]

Title: Keep Watch in the Night Fandom: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Rating: T Status: One-Shot Main Characters: Knight-Commander Lilith de Marc, Camellia Gwerm Additional Notes: Aeon Mythic Path, Frenemies Word Count: 1.4k Summary: The Aeon speaks to Lilith in a language of stars and arrows. It is a language which she has learned how to read, how to analyze, and- when necessary- how to manipulate.

read below or here on ao3

The Aeon speaks to Lilith in a language of stars and arrows.

It is a language no mortal can decipher- none, save for her. Lilith alone sees the writing, the scattered symbols and auras which whisper to her the secrets of those around her. The glowing signs are almost overwhelming at first, but Lilith is nothing if not diligent; she learns to read the constellations behind her eyes, and she learns the measure of her new followers.

They come before her for judgment- some arrogant, some shaking in their boots. It’s in her judgment hall that Lilith practices unraveling the shining ribbons of guilt which encircle those who have committed crimes against her Crusade. She pulls at the strings of their minds, and the truth comes tumbling out with barely a fight.

As her talent grows, rumors circulate the city. People begin to drop their eyes when she passes, as if they can guard themselves by avoiding her gaze.

Her companions are no exception to the Aeon’s sight; their minds unfurl before her power just like any other. Woljif is the easiest of them. He wears his sins without guile, and they dance around him as brightly as the amulet he keeps around his neck. Wenduag is much the same, proud of every deed she has carried out regardless of any blood spilled.

(You shine with violence, Lilith tells her once when they are in bed together, and she practically purrs with pleasure at the description.)

Others in her company pose more of a challenge. Arueshalae’s aura is nothing but a headache, simply because there is so much of it; the transgressions of her past cling to her, like dazzling flies swarming over a corpse. Daeran, too, collects too many misdeeds to count, although he does so with much more cheer. Lilith wonders if he thinks piling on frivolous crimes will cover the darker ones hidden underneath.

Of them all, it is Camellia who proves most resistant to Lilith’s readings. Her aura is glaring, impossible to miss; there is certainly something about her which the Aeon recognizes as terribly wrong. The details of her transgressions, however, are so twisted in upon themselves that it takes Lilith ages to pick out the threads of truth.

She gets there eventually, of course, long before Anevia comes to her with a warning about missing and murdered soldiers.

Anevia’s expectations are easier to decipher. She watches Lilith, waiting for her reaction to the news, perhaps anticipating another one of the resounding judgments of which the Aeon is so fond. Lilith sends her away, promising to deal with the matter on her own.

The Aeon echoes in Lilith’s head; it aches to prove its power against those who break its order.

And the Aeon is powerful…but it is not clever. It does not understand that sometimes, its strict policy of eradication is simply wasteful.

Lilith prefers to act a bit more prudently.

When the time comes for confrontations, Camellia does not seem shocked to find herself caught red-handed. Even she must have known it was only a matter of time.

She does, however, appear surprised by Lilith’s restraint.

“I do appreciate your discretion regarding my little Mireya,” she says, tilting her head as she eyes Lilith with more interest than she’s ever given thus far. She sits perched on a dusty, splintered table in the cellar of her hideout. A bloody rapier lies in her lap, a bloody body at her feet. “I admit, your reception of her needs is…unforeseen.”

“Did you truly think I did not already know?” Lilith asks. She forgoes a seat and simply stands, hands folded, eyes on the bright beacon of a killer in front of her. “You know what my powers are capable of.”

A hint of distaste darkens Camellia’s practiced smile. “Yes…I suppose I hoped that my actions would not sound your alarms, so to speak, seeing as I only ever acted with the aim of empowering the good cause of the Crusades.”

“Of course you did. And I would prefer that it stay that way. Any power we can gain is a welcome advantage.” Lilith’s gaze drifts to the body on the ground. “That being said…the Crusade needs its soldiers, Camellia. We’ve lost enough to demons as it is. We’re not losing any more to you.”

Camellia frowns. One hand goes to her amulet; the other ghosts along the hilt of her rapier. “Are we at a disagreement, then, after all?”

“Not in the slightest. As I said, I value whatever power your Mireya offers.” Lilith hopes, faintly, that there is in fact power to be had from Camellia’s little trinket. But the lies sparkle as they leave Camellia’s lips, and she does not hope too fiercely.

Even with the lies, Camellia is an ally worth keeping around. She is proficient in battle; she has connections through her father to figures of wealth and power; and, importantly, she is not quite the delicate flower she pretends to be. She understands the value of ruthlessness. It is an underrated trait, and Lilith will not toss it aside so easily…however little she cares for the woman’s needling arguments and self-indulgent games.

“If I cannot feed Mireya…”

“Feed her if you must,” Lilith says plainly. “Just not with our soldiers. There are cultists plenty she may feast upon. And if that does not satisfy her, I’m certain I could come up with ideas of those whose disappearances would be rather more convenient than a common foot soldier.”

Wrong, the Aeon in her mind thunders. Lilith bites down hard on her tongue to keep from shivering under its admonition. Camellia is watching her like a hawk, but if she notices the disturbance, she does not comment upon it. She simply pulls a kerchief from her pocket and begins casually cleaning the blood from her blade.

“Very well. I suppose I can work with such an arrangement. And I am relieved to hear that you shan’t be visiting your infamous judgment upon me over this little matter.” A smirk plays at her lips, and she adds, “Not that I don’t admire your power. Indeed, it’s a delight, watching you unleash your deadly force upon our foes.”

Lilith waits patiently as Camellia puts on a show of carefully considering her following words.

“And yet…I am becoming concerned about the future of those around you. Myself included, naturally, but also your beloved people of the city. There’s a certain uneasiness we feel in your presence, as you go about judging all and sundry for their every discretion. Be careful, dear Lilith. Go any further with this power and your friends will begin to turn away from you.”

“You consider us friends, then?” Lilith asks drily, and Camellia flashes her a brilliant, shining smile.

“Of course! You are our hope in our darkest hour. It would be calamitous if anything happened to you.”

“Indeed it would.” Lilith watches for a moment as the stars around Camellia blink out their warning signs. She’s all flint and steel, this one, and again it is something Lilith can appreciate. A shame, then, that her pretty words glimmer with ill intent, all of it aimed directly at the Knight-Commander.

“Commit no crimes against me, Camellia,” Lilith says, meeting Camellia’s bright statement with a thin smile of her own, “and you will have nothing to fear.”

Camellia’s blade is clean now, and she tucks the bloody kerchief back into her pocket. “A fine point. I shall weigh upon your words…my friend.”

Lilith steps out from Camellia’s hideout into the night. As the stars blaze above, she knows the Aeon will be seething tonight. Even now, she feels a warning prickle under her skin, a precursor to the ice-cold shards the power wishes to sink into her nerves.

But just as Lilith has learned to read the Aeon’s language, she has learned to satisfy its whims. The mythic force craves the satisfaction of punishment, and tomorrow she will receive cases in her judgment hall until the craving is fulfilled. Its demand for justice is, at the end of the day, a hunger like any other.

A hunger not unlike Camellia’s, Lilith reflects with dark humor, even as her stars and arrows flare in distaste at the comparison.

[thegrllldiaries]

the golden calf shows the hypocrisy and bad side of isra3lis/j3ws

yes im relating this back to the g3nocide happening

According to the Bible and the Quran, the golden calf (Hebrew: עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב, romanized: ʿēḡel hazzāhāḇ) was a cult image made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as "the sin of the calf" (Hebrew: חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל, romanized: ḥēṭəʾ hāʿēḡel).

The Golden Calf of Islam

In this world, we have one of two choices either the path to God or Satan.

[36:60] Did I not covenant with you, O Children of Adam, that you shall not worship the devil? That he is your most ardent enemy?

(٦٠) أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَابَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ لَا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ

God’s path is strict monotheism, while all the other paths lead to idol worship. This is a mandatory test that every generation will deal with, and while it will come in different forms and shapes, the underlying structure is one and the same.

An example of these two paths can be seen in the history of Moses. After God saved Moses, Aaron, and the Children of Israel from the oppression and persecution of Pharoah, we see the two paths that the people took. That while Moses took a straight path to God, the Children of Israel followed a path toward Hellfire.

[20:80] O Children of Israel, we delivered you from your enemy, summoned you to the right side of Mount Sinai, and we sent down to you manna and quails. [20:81] Eat from the good things we provided for you, and do not transgress, lest you incur My wrath. Whoever incurs My wrath has fallen. [20:82] I am surely Forgiving for those who repent, believe, lead a righteous life, and steadfastly remain guided. [20:83] “Why did you rush away from your people, O Moses?” [20:84] He said, “They are close behind me. I have rushed to You my Lord, that You may be pleased.” [20:85] He said, “We have put your people to the test after you left, but the Samarian misled them.”

[20:86] Moses returned to his people, angry and disappointed, saying, “O my people, did your Lord not promise you a good promise? Could you not wait? Did you want to incur wrath from your Lord? Is this why you broke your agreement with me?” [20:87] They said, “We did not break our agreement with you on purpose. But we were loaded down with jewelry, and decided to throw our loads in. This is what the Samarian suggested.”

[20:88] He produced for them a sculpted calf, complete with a calf’s sound. They said, “This is your god, and the god of Moses.” Thus, he forgot. [20:89] Could they not see that it neither responded to them, nor possessed any power to harm them, or benefit them? [20:90] And Aaron had told them, “O my people, this is a test for you. Your only Lord is the Most Gracious, so follow me, and obey my commands.” [20:91] They said, “We will continue to worship it, until Moses comes back.”

[20:92] (Moses) said, “O Aaron, what is it that prevented you, when you saw them go astray, [20:93] “from following my orders? Have you rebelled against me?” [20:94] He said, “O son of my mother, do not pull me by my beard and my head. I was afraid that you might say, ‘You have divided the Children of Israel, and disobeyed my orders.’ ”

[20:95] He said, “What is the matter with you, O Samarian?” [20:96] He said, “I saw what they could not see. I grabbed a fistful (of dust) from the place where the messenger stood, and used it (to mix into the golden calf). This is what my mind inspired me to do.” [20:97] He said, “Then go, and, throughout your life, do not even come close. You have an appointed time (for your final judgment) that you can never evade. Look at your god that you used to worship; we will burn it and throw it into the sea, to stay down there forever.”

Moses

Moses rushed to God, hoping God would be pleased with him. Additionally, he said that the people were close behind his footsteps. The two words in Arabic that are critical in the understanding of this history are the words rushed (‘ajal) and my footsteps (athari).

[20:83] “Why did you rush (aʿjalaka) away from your people, O Moses?” [20:84] He said, “They are close behind my footsteps (athari). I have rushed to You my Lord, that You may be pleased.” [20:85] He said, “We have put your people to the test after you left, but the Samarian misled them.”

(٨٣) وَمَا أَعْجَلَكَ عَنْ قَوْمِكَ يَامُوسَىٰ (٨٤) قَالَ هُمْ أُولَاءِ عَلَىٰ أَثَرِي وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ (٨٥) قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِيُّ

for those who want to learn more i reccomend reading riyad us saliheen.

[mrlnsfrt]

It Begins in The Heart

This post is part of my “Join Me on The Mountainside” series.

In my previous post, I discussed how Jesus came to fulfill the law, and how He said our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. In this post, I’ll take a closer look at Matthew 5:21-30 which will help flesh out what Jesus meant by what He said earlier.

You have heard that it was said…

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ - Matthew 5:21 NKJV

Most of you are probably familiar with the 10 commandments. They can be found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Here Jesus references the 6th commandment. Some translations say kill, but murder seems to be a better translation.

“Murder” is the correct rendering since the underlying Hebrew (ratsach, sometimes translated “kill”) did not include killing in self-defense, wars ordered by Yahweh, capital punishment following due process of law, or accidental manslaughter. - Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 106.

Jesus quotes a familiar law and one where there is little argument. Most cultures around the globe would agree that murder should not happen. However, Jesus expounds on this law, He brings about a fuller understanding of how we ought to behave as followers of God. If our righteousness is to surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees it is not enough to simply not commit the act of murder.

But I say to you…

“But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. - Matthew 5:22 NKJV

According to Jesus, the true application of the prohibition was much wider. Jesus includes thoughts and words, as well as deeds, anger, and insult as well as murder. Jesus gives us a fuller understanding of God’s law, or God’s desire for our lives. As followers of God, we should not be content with simply not having murdered anyone recently, but our aim should be higher, to not experience hate toward another.

Matthew 5:22 is one of those verses where there is some variance regarding ancient manuscripts and some of them do not have the phrase “without cause” but the main point remains clear either way.

A strong manuscript tradition (D, L, W, f1, f13, etc.) adds the phrase “without cause” following the word “brother.” This phrase is usually viewed as a later textual addition, but it nevertheless gives the correct interpretation. There is a righteous indignation against sin (as esp. with Jesus versus the money changers in the temple—21:12–17), and God himself is properly wrathful (cf. 18:34; 22:7).  - Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 106.

The possible issue with including the phrase “without cause” is that some might take it as permission to be angry with the brother who did something to deserve it. On the other hand, not all anger is necessarily sinful. For examples of anger that is directed towards sin or evil and not directed specifically towards the person see Exodus 32:19 and John 2:14-17.

So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. - Exodus 32:19 NKJV

14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” - John 2:14-17 NKJV

If you would like to explore further what Jesus had to say regarding how to treat our brother see Mathew 5:44; 7:3–5; 12:49–50; 18:15, 21, 35; 23:8; 25:40; 28:10.

Some interpret “brother” as a fellow believer, but since Jesus will tell His listeners to love their enemies in a few verses (Matthew 5:44) I would not limit Jesus’ use of “brother” to a reference to fellow believers but rather to everyone. If we refer to God as “our Father” (Matthew 6:9) then other humans are our brothers and sisters.

Raca?

“Raca” (a quasi-swear word in Aramaic). The expression probably meant something like empty-headed. So too those who call someone a “fool” commit a sin. This word (mōros) carries overtones of immorality and godlessness as well as idiocy. - Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 107.

So we need to remember that the word “fool” had acquired both religious and moral overtones, being applied in the Old Testament to those who denied God’s existence and as a result plunged into reckless evil doing. (Psalm 14:1–4; 53:1–4)

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. - Psalm 14:1 NKJV

There is also another approach to interpreting the word “mōre” translated as “fool.”

Alternatively, as some scholars suggest, mōre may transliterate a Hebrew word which means a ‘rebel’, an ‘apostate’ or an ‘outcast’. In this case, Tasker proposes the sentiment: ‘The man who tells his brother that he is doomed to hell is in danger of hell himself’. Ps. 78:8; Je. 5:23 - John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 84.

Hell?

Gehenna (“fire of hell”)—a reference to the valley south of Jerusalem in which children were slaughtered in Old Testament times and traditionally associated with a perpetually burning garbage dump in later centuries. (Craig Blomberg, 107)

(For a deeper dive keep reading, or skip to the next heading)

Hell fire. Literally, “the Gehenna [Gr. geenna] of fire,” or “the hell of fire.” Geenna, “hell,” is a transliteration of the Hebrew ge’ ben hinnom, “valley of Hinnom,” or ge’ ben hinnom, “valley of the son of Hinnom” (Joshua 15:8), the valley to the south and west of Jerusalem that meets with the Kidron Valley immediately south of the City of David and the Pool of Siloam (see on Jer. 19:2). Wicked King Ahaz seems to have introduced the barbaric heathen rite of burning infant children to Molech at a high place called Tophet, in the Valley of Hinnom (2 Chron. 28:3), during the days of Isaiah. For a further description of these revolting rites see on Lev. 18:21; Deut. 18:10; 32:17; 2 Kings 16:3; 23:10; Jer. 7:31. Manasseh, a grandson of Ahaz, restored this practice (2 Chron. 33:1, 6; cf. Jer. 32:35). Years later good King Josiah formally desecrated the high places in the Valley of Hinnom, where this appalling form of worship had been conducted (2 Kings 23:10), so bringing it to a halt. In retribution for this and other evils God forewarned His people that the Valley of Hinnom would one day become “the valley of slaughter” for “the carcases of this people” (Jer. 7:32, 33; Jer. 19:6; cf. Isa. 30:33). Accordingly, the fires of Hinnom became symbolic of the consuming fire of the last great day of judgment and the punishment of the wicked (cf. Isa. 66:24). In Jewish eschatological thinking, derived in part from Greek philosophy, Gehenna was the place where the souls of the ungodly were reserved under punishment until the day of final judgment and rewards.

The tradition that makes the Valley of Gehenna a place for burning rubbish, and thus a type of the fires of the last day, appears to have originated with Rabbi Kimchi, a Jewish scholar of the 12th and 13th centuries. Ancient Jewish literature knows nothing of such an idea. The earlier rabbis base the idea of Gehenna as a type of the fires of the last day on Isa. 31:9. See Strack and Billerbeck, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, vol. 4, pp. 1029, 1030. - Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 335.

Words or Feelings?

Do you think Jesus had a problem with the words “raca” or “fool?” If that was the case then I could find other words to express the same sentiment and avoid judgment or hell fire. What if I choose to say, “idiot” or “nincompoop?” Would it be okay for me to call someone a witling?

If we were to study and try to figure out the precise degree of unholy feelings towards our brother that are indicated by the words Jesus used in the original language and proper historical and cultural context we would be embarking on an adventure in missing the point.

If murder is a horrible crime, malicious anger and insult are horrible too.  - John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 86.

The main point is that Jesus goes far deeper than what we tend to interpret the law of God to mean. He traces murder to its dark lair in human hearts: hatred. The God we worship sees our heart and is concerned not only by the fruit, the actions, the actual murder, but also by the root, the hatred that starts the entire process. Hatred may not be accountable in an earthly court of law, but it is to have no place among followers of God. Anger will have to face the judgment of God.

Legalism?

 Jesus was not against the law and its principles, but rather against all performance-based religiosity generated by the legislative superstructure erected by the religious leaders in an attempt to help prevent the breaking of the law.

for example at Shabbath 3–6 in the Mishnah we note that a new lamp can be moved from one place to another on the Sabbath, but not an old one; hot food may be kept warm by covering with clothes, feathers or dried flax, but not by covering with damp herbs or straw—which could engender fresh heat (and thus ‘work’) on the Sabbath day. An ass may go out on the Sabbath day wearing its saddle cloth if this was fixed on before the Sabbath, but may not wear a bell even if it is plugged (that would be work for the ass). Goats may go out with a protective cloth on their udders if it is to keep them dry, but not if it is intended to collect the milk … and so forth. And all this was intended to preserve scribal righteousness. - Michael Green, The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 93.

Jesus is not adding a performative aspect to the law. Jesus is not creating a list of words that are not allowed to be uttered, rather He is clarifying the heart and intention of the law.

In fact, so little are we to make of mere words, apart from the feeling which they express, that as anger is expressly said to have been borne by our Lord towards His enemies though mixed with “grief for the hardness of their hearts” (Mk 3:5), and as the apostle teaches us that there is an anger which is not sinful (Eph 4:26); so in the Epistle of James (Jam 2:20) we find the words, “O vain (or, empty) man”; and our Lord Himself applies the very word “fools” twice in one breath to the blind guides of the people (Mt 23:17, 19) - Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 21–22.

Two passages that help clarify Jesus’ message are Ephesians 4:6 and 1 John 3:15

 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, - Ephesians 4:26 NKJV

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. - 1 John 3:15 NKJV

Here we see that not all anger is sinful and that hatred is compared to murder. My understanding of this is that someone’s behavior may upset you and cause you to experience anger, but you should not hate the person and wish them evil (damnation).

Worship and Relationships

23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. - Matthew 5:23-26 NKJV

What I take away from Jesus’ words is that his followers should avoid judgment by dealing honestly with sin. Not by trying to excuse it, or find loopholes, but rather by considering their hearts honestly and sincerely dealing with their sin.

 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. - Romans 12:18 NKJV

We cannot control the behavior of those around us, but as much as it depends on us we should strive to live in peace with those around us. If I am worshipping at church, giving offerings, returning my tithe, volunteering, and I remember that I wronged someone, I should go and do my best to make it right. We should not do this because someone is forcing us, but because we genuinely want to be at peace with those around us.

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV

Now Jesus shifts His attention to the 7th commandment. Adultery specifically refers to sexual relations by a married person with a partner other than his or her spouse but verse 28 clarifies that Jesus is addressing sexual sin in general.

Jesus could be speaking of one who “looks at a woman with the intention of committing adultery” or to one who “looks at a woman for the purpose of getting her to lust after him.”  - Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 108–109.

Jesus is not talking about a passing glance, or even noticing that someone is beautiful. What Jesus is condemning is the lustful thoughts and actions to have sexual relations with someone who is not that person’s spouse.

As the prohibition of murder included the angry thought and the insulting word, so the prohibition of adultery included the lustful look and imagination. We can commit murder with our words; we can commit adultery in our hearts or minds. - John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 87.

Just to clarify, Jesus is not speaking against natural sexual relations within the confines of heterosexual marriage (between a biological male and a biological female). The Song of Solomon is part of the Bible after all. Jesus is speaking against sexual interactions outside of marriage (biblical marriage as described in Genesis 1:26-28).

For those who want to argue that Jesus is only talking about married men, insinuating that it is okay for a woman or single men to engage in lustful fantasies is missing the point. Jesus is saying that what you should not do, you should also not fantasize about. Don’t even think about it.

One of the Hebrew equivalents of the Greek word Jesus used for lust is translated as “to desire,” or “to take pleasure in.” The same word is translated as “covet” in the tenth commandment (Ex. 20:17) and “desire” in Deut. 5:21 and Isa. 53:2.

Christ was doubtless thinking of the tenth commandment when He warned against looking “on a woman to lust after her.” In other words, the man who orders his affections and his will in harmony with the tenth commandment is thereby protected against violating the seventh. - Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 336.

Prevention?

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. - Matthew 5:29-30 NKJV

Is Jesus advocating for bodily mutilation as a means of salvation? (Matthew 18:8-9)

If the eye is the means by which the temptation reaches the heart, should we not remove the eye? But removal of the eye does not keep the heart from sinning. However, if we refuse to behold that which tempts us to sin we achieve the same results, avoiding the lustful thoughts.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? - Job 31:1 NKJV

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. - 1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV

These Bible passages give us insights relating to this topic. We cannot control what is happening all around us, but we have a choice regarding the thoughts we dwell on and what we stare at.

The command to get rid of troublesome eyes, hands and feet is an example of our Lord’s use of dramatic figures of speech. What he was advocating was not a literal physical self-maiming, but a ruthless moral self-denial. Not mutilation but mortification is the path of holiness he taught, and ‘mortification’ or ‘taking up the cross’ to follow Christ means to reject sinful practices so resolutely that we die to them or put them to death. - John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 89.

Are beautiful women an instrument of Satan to ensnare men? NO! Sometimes women are treated as if they are the problem. Jesus does not say “if you look at a woman to lust after her tell her to change her outfit.” Jesus places the burden on the beholder who is choosing to think lustful thoughts.

However, all of us, when we get dressed, we should consider the goal of our outfit. If we are aiming to cause others to lust after us, I would say we are also guilty.

My recommendation to men is to resist the temptation to objectify women. Look a the whole person. That beautiful person you are beholding is someone with dreams and aspirations. Someone with feelings, a history, and complex emotions, she is someone that Jesus loves and died to save. Someone who deserves your respect, protection, and help.

Sorry to my female readers, I do not have any recommendations for you. But this is a topic that is worth discussing further with a mature spiritual mentor. For my male readers, feel free to message me by leaving a comment on this blog or by reaching out through social media.

Conclusion

My takeaway from these passages is that it is not enough to simply not murder or commit adultery. Jesus wants us to move beyond that and live a life in harmony with those around us (as far as possible). We should not hate another person and wish them evil. We should not kill, but also not attack with words, and not harbor anger in our hearts towards others.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. - Matthew 6:15 NKJV

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? - 1 John 4:20 NKJV

Ultimately Jesus wants to transform our hearts. He does not want followers who are always wishing in their hearts that they could sin, and who would sin if they could get away with it. Jesus wants us to actually, sincerely, and honestly desire to live new lives, to die to the old self, and to be born new and transformed, and to have a heart that desires what God desires for us.

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. - Romans 6:6-7 NKJV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Galatians 2:20 NKJV